The story concerns an elderly Englishman, John Sidney Howard, who goes on a fishing holiday
in France after the Second World War breaks out, but before the fall of France. Entrusted with
the care of two British children, and overtaken by events, he attempts to return to England and
safety. His journey is hampered by the unexpected speed of the Nazi invasion of France, and by
the fact that he continually finds himself entrusted with the custody of more and more young
children. Eventually, he is stranded in Nazi occupied France and he is fully aware that, as an
Englishman, he is an enemy to the occupying forces.